Continuous still.



No. 848,217. PATENTED FEB. 5, 1907. B. KREPPER.

CONTINUOUS STILL.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT.17, 1906.

a 3 I? d J I- Ezveziifia 5 i j 72? p673 .souri, have invented certain new and useful EMIL KREPPER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

. CONTINUOUS STILL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 5, 1907.

Application filed September 17,1906- Serial No. 334,380.

T at whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL KREPPER, a citi- 1 zen of the United States of America,residing in the city of St. Louis in the State of Mis- Improvements in Continuous Stills, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accomt anying drawings, forming part of this speci 'ication.

My invention relates to a still for use in re- 1 covering the volatile matter, such as alcohol, i from various liquids when subjected to the l action of heat; and it has for its object to i furnish a still of this character which combines simplicity and an elliciency of opera- 1 tion. l

Figure I is in part a vertical section taken through my still and in part a side elevation. Fig. II is an enlarged cross-section taken on line II II, Fig. I. Fig. III is an elevation of i one of the trap-cups of the still.

1 designates the shell or casing of my still, i which is provided with a bottom 2 and a top 3. Within the upperend of the shell is a receiving-chamber A and within the lower end of the shell is a residue-chan1ber B.

4 designates a vapor-conducting pipe leading from the receiving-chamber A and preferably attached to the top 3 of the stillj shell. (See Fig. I.)

5 designates a feed-pipe through which the 2 liquid that is to be introduced into the still for distillation is conducted into the receiv- 3 ing-chamber A. This feed-pipe ireferably extends vertically alongside of the shell 1 l and then horizontally into said reeeivingl chamber.

6 is a hollow head attached to the discharge .end of the feed-pipe 5 within the re- 1 ceiving-chamber and open at its lower end. i

7 is a spreader-valve, preferably of conical j form, which is located at the lower or outlet l end of the head 6 and by which the liquid is spread into a finely-divided sheet or spray t as it emerges from the head 6. The valve 7 is supported by a valve-rod 8, that extends to the exterior of the still-and preferably 1 passes through the vapor-conducting pipe 4 and is provided with a handle 9, by which the valve may be adjusted relatively to the l outlet of the head 6. i

10 designates a steam-conducting ipe that leads into the residue-chamber B and is finely I perforated Within said chamber for the escape of steaminto the chamber. This steaml conducting pipe preferably extends interiorly through the shell of the still and at its free end is supplied with a blow-oil valve 11, that i may be opened for the purpose of blowing off fsteam in cleaning outsaid pipe and the f residue-chamber.

12, 13, and 1 1 designate shelves mounted at intervals within the still-shell and each provided with a central orifice.

are pans mounted on the shelves 12, 13, and 14 and having downwardly-extending central annular flanges 16, that are seated in the central orifices of said shelves. The vertical walls of the pansare arranged concentric with the shell of the still, thereby providing troughs between said walls and shell above each shelf.

17 designates trap-cups seated within the orifices in the shelves 12, 13, and 14 and arranged concentric with the flanges of the pans 15 or the walls of said orifices, a sullicient space being left between the depending portions of the cups and the flanges or ori- Liicc-walls to permit the upward passage of steam between said members. Each of the cups 1s provided atits upper end with a rim 1 18, which projects over the bottom of the corresponding pan 15 or the shelf on which said pan 1S seated, the'rnn oi each pan being preferably inclined outwardly and downwardly and being slightly elevated above the bottom of the pan to'provide a passage-way for the ascension of steam into said pan. Beneath each cup-rim is a pluralityof tangentially-arranged vanes 19, that serve to diroot the steam tangentially into the pans for the purpose of causing a swirling motion of the liquid introduced into the still and from which distillation is effected.

2O designates droppingpipes leading from the troughs around the uppermost pans 15 of the still to the trap-cups, and 20 is a dropping-pipe leading from the trough above the lowermost shelf 14 into a trapbasin 21, that is located in the residue-chamber B.

22 is an upright outlet-pipe leading from the residue-chamber B, this pipe being extended above the upper end of said residuechamber. The outlet-pipe is offsu'llicient diameter to permit the passage therethrough of the feed-pipe 5 with a s'ullicient space around said conducting-pipe for thellow of residue through said outlet-pipe. The object in extending the feed-pipe through the outletpipe is to provide forthe heating of the liquid from which distillation is to be effectcdbeof the still.

23 is a vertical test-pipe leading from the 1 residue-chamber B and provided with a cock 24. This test-pipe is designed for service in testing the residue in the residue-chamber B, and the cock is located at a sullicient elevation to permit of alcoholic vapor (if such vapor is present in the residue-chamber) being determined, and the test is made possible due to the watery parts of the liquid ascending in said test-pipe condensing and the alcohohc parts being easily detected by the sense.

of smell.

25 is a gage attached to the test-pipe and by which the degree of pressure of steam in the residue-chamber B is constantly indicated.

26 is a gage-tube that has communication with the receiving-chamber A and having utility of furnishing lndication in the event of the passage-way in the still becoming choked.

In the practical use of my still the liquid to be treated therein enters the receivingchamber A through the feed-pipe 5 and is discharged over the valve 7 in a spray to descend into the topmost pan 15.

through the central orifice in the shelves 14, 13, and 12, to escape into the pans between the bottoms of said pans and the surmounting rims of the trap-cups 17. This steam enters the pans in tangential directions and while heating the liquid therein acts to impart a swirling motion to said liquid, as a result of which the heated or boiling liquid is caused to overflow the walls of the pans in a foaming condition. Due to the heating of the liquid and the agitation thereof by the steam, the volatile matters in the liquid are disseminated therefrom to rise from the pans and escape from the still through the vaporconductin pipe-4. It is of course to be understood that the vapor rising from the liquid after it has entered the lowermost pan 15 rises with the steam and in the same course through the surmounting pan. or pans before finding escape into the vapor-conducting pipe. The liquid after being discharged from each upper pan 15 into the trough surrounding the pan flows downwardly through i the drop-pipe communicating with said trough and enters the trap-cup, into which Q said drop-pipe leads in order that the liquid may be again subjected to the action of the steam for the dissemination of the volatile vapor that may still remain in said liquid 1 after it has been treated in one or more of the upper pans 15. After the liquid overflows the lowermost pan 15 into the trough surrounding it it is dischargedinto the residuechamber B through the drop-pipe that At the same time steam enters the residue-chai'nber B through the steam-pipe 10 and ascends i in specifying pans I do not intend to limit.

l residue-chamber B, and consequently this.

i steam acts against the liquid in said chamber 1 with a result of maintaining the liquid or re.- i sidue in the outlet-pipe 22 at a greater elevation than the level of said liquidin said chamber. As a consequence when the liquid insaid chamber reaches a level near the top 1 of the chamber the liquid in the outlet-pipe is caused to overflow therefrom into the horizontal extension 22 of the pipe. As a result a siphonic action is established in the outlet-pipe and the residue is drained automatically from the residue-chamber to exhaust or partially exhaust said chamber and permit the continued discharge of residue the chambers occupied by the pans 15' and in i which the distillation takes place. While I have shown and described still as constructed with the shelves'12, 13, and 14 surmounted by pans 15, it is obvious that the same result or action would be secured if the shelves were surmou'nted'only by up ardly-extending rims in lieu of pans, and therefore wish it to be understood that myself to the use of the parts as of pan shape. In this connection it will of course i be understood that the openings in the shelves through which the steam passes must of necessity be provided; but it is unessential whether the upwardly-extending portions of the pans or rims have horizontal portions extending to said openings.

I claim 1. In a still, the combination of a shell, a series ofshelves mounted within said shell, pans seated on said shelves and having openings in the bottoms thereof, trap-cups located 1 in the bottom openings of said pans, liquidconducting means leading from one panchamber to a trap-cup in a lower pan-chamber, means for conducting a heating medium into the lower portion of said shell, and means for feeding the liquid to be treated into the upper portion of said shell, substantially as set forth.

1 series of shelves mounted within said shell, pans mounted on. said shelves and having open ngs in the bottoms thereof, trap-cups 1 located in the bottom openings of said pans and having rims projecting over the bottoms from one pan-chamber to a trap-cup in a Z lower pan-chamber, means for conducting a i heating medium into the lower portion of i said shell, and means for feeding the liquid thereinto without such residue rising into 2. In a still, the combination of a shell, a 4

of the pans, liquid-conducting means leading to be treated into the upper portion of said 65 extends into the trap-basin 21, which being I shell, substantially as set forth.

from one pan-chamber to a trap-cup in a exterior of an upper pan to a trap-cup associated with a lower pan, means for conducting aheating medium into the' lower portion t ofsaid shell, and means for feeding the liql uid to be treated into the upper ortion of I said shell, substantially as set fortli.

6. In a still, the combination of a shell, a series of shelves mounted within said shell, ans seated on said shelves and havin openmgs in the bottoms thereof, trap-cups located in the bottom openings of said pans, liquid conducting means leading from one panchamber to the trap-cup of a lower panchamber, a drop-pipe leading downwardly from a position exterior of the lowermost of said pans, a trap-basin into which said droppipe leads, means for conducting heatin medium into the lower end of said shell, and

3. In a still, the combination of a shell, a series of shelves mounted in said shell, pans l seated on said shelves and having openings in the bottoms thereof, trap-cups located in the bottom openings of said pans and having outwardly-extending and dowmvardl r-inclined rims projecting over the bottoms of said pans, liquid-conducting 'means leading i lower pan-chamber, means for conducting a heating mediuminto the lower )art of, said shell, andmeans for feeding the liquid to be treated in the upper part of'said shell, substantially as set forth.

4. In a still, the combination of a shell, a seriesof shelves mounted within said shell, pans seated-on said shelves and havin openmgs in the bottoms thereof, trap-cups located in the openings in the bottoms of said pans and having rims extending over the bottoms of the pans, tangentially-arranged vanes located between the bottoms of said pans and said trap-cup rims, means for conducting liquid leading from one panchamber to a trap cup in a lower pan-chamber, means for con-. ducting heating medium into the lower portion of said shell, and means for feeding the liquid to be treated into the up er portion of said shell, substantially as setffirth.

5. In a still, the combination of a shell, a series of shelves mounted within said shell,

ans seated on said shelves and havin openings in the bottoms thereof, trap-cups ocated in the bottom 0 enings of said pans,'droppipes extending ownwardly from a position said shell.

EMIL KREPPER. In presence of- NELLIE V. ALEXANDER, BLANCHE HOGAN.

means for feeding liquidto be treated to the r 

